Littlehampton community hub gets life-saving defibrillator installed

The Sussex Heart Charity, renowned for its dedication to advancing heart health awareness and facilitating access to essential medical equipment, played a pivotal role in making this vital addition to ​The Wickbourne Centre.

The Clun Road facility is a busy community hub owned by Arun Church and shared with West Sussex County Council’s Arun East Family Hub. There are various activities for children, young people and families at the centre including a coffee shop and pre-school.

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Strategically positioned outside The Wickbourne Centre, the new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) ensures immediate accessibility to visitors, staff, and community members in need of urgent medical assistance. In emergencies such as sudden cardiac arrest, the AED's ability to administer an electric shock to restore normal heart rhythm significantly enhances the chances of survival from under 10 per cent to over 80 per cent.

"We are immensely grateful to the Sussex Heart Charity for their donation of the AED," remarked Jon Jolly, Executive Lead for Arun Church. "The installation of this defibrillator is significant as it is the only publicly accessible device within half mile radius of the centre. While we hope it is never needed, it is available for the whole community at any time."

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The Sussex Heart Charity is dedicated to promoting heart health, raising awareness about heart-related issues, and facilitating access to life-saving equipment throughout the Sussex region.

“We are grateful to The Wickbourne Centre for recognising the importance of having an AED on-site,” said Matt Denison. chief executive officer of the Sussex Heart Charity. “Together, we are taking a significant stride toward ensuring the well-being of our community members. In times of need, these devices can be the difference between life and death.”

For more detailed information about The Wickbourne Centre's services and community involvement, please visit www.arunchurch.com/wickbourne. To learn more about the Sussex Heart Charity and their ongoing initiatives to promote heart health, please visit www.sussexheartcharity.org.